Stark Contrast
by chickadeebabe
Summary: Kagome almost pouted to the man in front of her. Almost. It's not like she actually wanted to meet him. It was only because her mother wanted them to meet. If anything, she considered him more a Sperm Doner than anything else.
1. Chapter 1

Kagome stood outside of the corporate building, still wondering if she should just turn back and return back to the warm cocoon that was her mother's arms. And then she glanced down to the parchment of paper in her hands and shook her head fill of ebony locks.

No, she needed to do this.

She walked in, not giving much mind to the sliding doors in front of her as people dressed in expensive suits stared her down in her regular clothing.

Kagome scoffed in her head, they act like they've never seen a girl in a hoodie and jeans before.

She made her way to the front desk and the woman in front looked up with boredom clear in her chocolate brown eyes.

This was gonna be delightful.

"Is Mr. Stark in now?"

"Only for people with appointments." The woman answered with a sugar sweet smile.

... Real delightful.


	2. Chapter 2

Pepper was used to a lot of things—she did work with Tony Stark, after all—but watching a woman in her early twenties argue with their receptionist wasn't something that she saw everyday. She wondered if she was hanging around Tony too much because seeing this was enough to make her consider laughing.

"What is going on here, Patricia?"

The receptionist, Patricia, looked up from her argument with the Asian female in front of her and was quick to shift her face into something more professional in front of her boss. Wouldn't do well for her though, Pepper had seen her.

"It's nothing ma'am, just another one of—"

"I assume you work close with Mr. Stark?" The woman interrupted Patricia, causing the receptionist to send her a fierce glare. Of course, she was ignored.

Pepper raised her eyebrow, "And this is your business because?"

The woman smiled sheepishly, running her hand through her long ebony hair, and Pepper found herself strange reminded of someone..

"I'm Kagome Higurashi and, um, well this is awkward, but I'm Tony's daughter." The girl, now named Kagome, said.

Pepper wondered if it was too late to change jobs.


	3. Chapter 3

After Kagome let out that small bit of information, a switch seemed to flip inside of Patricia and she was immediately in her space and pestering her.

"Oh my! I'm—Miss Stark, please excuse my earlier attitude! I meant no—"

Kagome gave the woman a deadpan stare. People were such kiss asses nowadays. Didn't they have some dignity?

She rolled her eyes and turned to back to the red-haired woman. She was dressed in a pantsuit, ironed and clear of anything, her hair was pulled up in a sharp bun and her makeup was modest. To Kagome, she seemed to be the only person here who wasn't two faced.

"So," Kagome looked up at the woman's voice, "you're telling me that Mr. Stark is your biological father?"

"I have no reason to believe my mother would lie to me."

The glare that Kagome sent the woman made her close her mouth before any words slipped out. She'd be damned if she let anyone say anything horrible about her mother and the woman seemed to understand that.

It was silent for what seemed like minutes—though Kagome was sure that it was only thirty seconds or so—and the woman cleared her throat.

"Well, Miss Kagome," she noticed how the redhead didn't say 'Stark', but she didn't mind much, "follow me so that we can discuss this with Mr. Stark. This way, please." And with that, the woman strutted to a elevator in the corner and Kagome followed after.

Kagome sighed as the elevator dinged and she was in the elevator alone with the older woman. She really wished that her mother hadn't told her this.


	4. Chapter 4

They were stuck in an awkward silence and Kagome didn't wanna be the one to break it. The woman beside her had a ruler-like posture, straight and poised, with her hands gripping the Ipad in her hands.

Kagome could tell from her aura that she was a bit pissed.

Maybe her and Mr. Stark—her father, get it right Gome—were in a relationship? Or they once were? Or the woman had feelings for him?

Hmm, that would be a weird thing to be in the middle of. Kagome hoped that the woman wouldn't be unnecessaryly rude to her. She didn't want to cause a ruckus in her father's office, after all it wouldn't do for her if he kicked her out.

"My name is Pepper, by the way. Pepper Potts."

The woman—Pepper—turned to her and gave her a awkward smile. It seemed that whatever anger that she had was gone as she tried to be nice to her.

"That's an.. interesting name, Ms. Potts." Kagome gave her a half-smile and the woman returned it, "You know my name, so I guess we're good with that."

"Yes, it would seem so."

While the silence wasn't comfortable, it wasn't as UNcomfortable as it was before.

The elevator dinged again and opened.

"Well, let's go see Mr. Stark."


	5. Chapter 5

"Sir, Miss Potts has come up the elevator."

"That's nice buddy, she here to scold me for more of my escapades?"

"No sir, there seems to be someone coming up with her. Another female."

Tony looked up from his Iron Man suit, put his tools down gently, and looked up to Jarvis. "Her stats?"

"Female. Judging by her height of 5'2 and weight of 108 lbs, she seems to be around her early 20's. Asian based on her appearance. Also giving off tension while in the presence of Miss Potts." Jarvis listed off and Tony laughed.

"She gives me tension too." He said, thinking of their recent break up. He pushed that from his mind immediately, "Let them both in. I'll be down in a few seconds."

"Very well, sir."

It was only a second after he said that when Tony heard a pair of heels clicking on his floor - Pepper, of course - and the squeaking of sneakers sliding on his expensive floor - Asian girl - and sighed before turning to them. Both women were stiff the closer they walked towards and Tony wondered why they were giving him looks; they weren't glances of fear, more like caution and it put him more on edge.

"What's brings you two lovely females down to my playroom?" He asked, voice stiff and on guard. Tony didn't know what to suspect and that was never good when Tony Stark didn't know something.

Before Pepper could step up to him, the Asian girl from beside her looked him straight in the eye and told him the one thing that he hadn't been prepared to hear.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi and I am your daughter, Mr. Stark." Short and sweet, spoken with full and utter confidence and that made him have to take a step back. Tony could see Pepper giving the girl - his _daughter_ \- an exasperated look and, if not for the situation, he would have been smirking at seeing someone else other than himself get under her skin.

Instead all he could do was keep staring at the girl, _fear_ and confusion swirling deep inside of him and he blurted, "I want a DNA test."


	6. Chapter 6

Tony tried to keep his cool as he sat beside the girl beside him, but one glance at her almost had him chocking.

Him? A father? That was the funniest joke he'd ever heard.

After calming himself, he'd set both him and the girl - no, Kagome - up in his lab so that Jarvis could take their blood for the test. Kagome hadn't put up a fight like he at first thought. The girl simply took everything in stride while Pepper stood to the side and let him do this.

It seemed she was curious to see if what Kagome said was true.

Tony was guided back to reality by the sound of beeping coming from his computer, "The procedure is done, sir." Jarvis' voice piped up from above them.

"And the results?" He pressed.

"Well sir, as far as these tests go, you are the biological father of Miss Kagome Higurashi."

It shouldn't have shocked him, really. In the time waiting for the results, he had found his gaze fixated on her and - even if stuck in denial - had to admit that Kagome shared a few minor, but vital features on her. They shared similar eye shapes; the almond shape that gave way to sapphire orbs, an angular and full face along with his fair skin tone and straightened hair.

They were common attributes that any person could have, but he couldn't deny it when the evidence stared him in the face.

Tony was a man of numbers and facts. If he couldn't see it for himself then it wasn't valid information. So why - even with the affirmation staring him straight in the face - could he not force himself to believe what was plain truth.

He had a child, a daughter. A daughter that looked at least seventeen or older. Tony couldn't keep himself from gazing at her as familiar feelings that came back like an old friend hit him square in his Arc Reactor.

Guilt. Shame. Anger.

It seemed that Pepper could already see the maelstrom starting in him and turned to the girl, a tight smile on her lips once more, "Well, Miss Kagome, let's set you up in one of the guestrooms, hm?" Pepper didn't even wait for the girl to say anything before escorting the confused female out of the room and sending him an understanding frown.

He'd thank her later, he thought, as he looked towards his screen. The numbers '9.99%' were mocking him as he just couldn't bring himself to look away.

".. Sir?"

"Jarvis, track all information on Nadeshiko Higurashi. Now."

"Right away, sir."


	7. Chapter 7

Tony sighed through his nose as he looked through his database, avoiding looking at the smiling picture of the beautiful brunette.

Even now she was stunning.

"You cut your hair, huh...?" He muttered to himself as he surveyed all of her information.

 _Name: Nadeshiko Higurashi_

 _Age: 42_

 _Birthdate: December 15_

 _Gender: Female_

 _Citizenship: Japanese_

 _Spouse: Yu Higurashi (Deceased)_

 _Children: Kagome Higurashi And Souta Higurashi._

His eyebrows raised as he took in the new information he was presented. A husband? A son? Tony chuckled to himself as he scratched at his Arc Reactor and shrugged to himself.

Well, of course she has - _had_ \- a husband. He wasn't blind; he knew that he wasn't the only man to see what a beautiful woman Nadeshiko was. She still was gorgeous, especially with her laugh lines and warm chocolate orbs along with her curly hair and— He sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. He was just one of the few men to be able to have her at her most vulnerable moment. He could feel the growing pit of anger in his stomach at the thought of her late husband.

Tony didn't even deserve to be upset. He _was_ the one that left her, after all. It wasn't like he expected her to stay alone after a one night stand with him. It just..

He stared deeply at the dark haired man on the screen next to Nadeshiko and shook his head.

Focus Tony.

There was more to worry about than whatever it was that was eating him. Everything was fine. This wasn't all affecting him - even though he knew damn well why he was upset and why he felt himself not looking at the little boy that looked too much like her and that man - he was just wondering what he would say to his.. his..

Daughter. His daughter.

Fuck, Tony needed a drink.


	8. Chapter 8

Kagome wasn't surprised when Pepper spoke up after a few minutes.

The woman had been staring at her for a few moments as she lead Kagome towards the guest room set up in the tower. Pepper had been standing at the doorway as she began examing the room before she spoke.

"Why?"

Kagome could have laughed. Why? She almost wanted to give a snarky response but thought better of it. The woman had to probably deal with responses like that all the time if the rumors about her father were true. She didn't want to be too much of a pain for however long she'd be here.

"Doesn't every little girl deserve to know who her father is?" Kagome asked instead.

She could almost feel the frown that was sure to be on Pepper's face as the strict woman said, "Pardon me if I find it hard to believe what comes out of your mouth."

She turned around as she finally decided to give the woman her full attention and stared into her narrow green eyes as the both of them held a long stare with one another.

"Oh?" Kagome humored her, "and what is so hard to believe, Miss Potts?" She took a seat on the way too comfortable bed behind her as she kept her gaze locked with the older woman's.

Pepper didn't seem to take too kindly to her display as her posture stuff ended and the light red aura outlining her figure seemed to intensify. Kagome didn't even need to pay attention to it to know what the redhead was feeling.

Anger. Red hot anger at that.

"Just strikes me as interesting is all. How his daughter after a few years happens to just find out Mr. Stark is her father from a mother that hasn't spoken to him in those years to let him know he was a father?" Pepper didn't even bother to hide the implications she was hinting towards.

The smile that Kagome flashed her was anything but friendly.

"It is interesting, isn't it? It is also interesting how a man has a one night stand with a woman, claims he loves her, and then never shows his face again afterwords." Kagome pushes a lock of hair from in front of her face.

"But I am sure that you would know a lot about false claims of love, wouldn't you Miss Potts?"

Peppers eyes' flashed with something dangerous before the woman composed herself and simply slapped on a flat smile that definitely did not reach her suddenly cold eyes.

"Maybe so." Pepper then turned on her heel and promptly made her exit, "I or JARVIS will inform you of when Mr. Stark will be ready to see you, Miss Stark."

"I look forward to our next meeting then, Miss Potts." Kagome waved at her and sent her a sweet smile.

"Of course, Miss Stark."

Kagome could not wait to see how bright and fierce that anger and jealousy could burn.


	9. Chapter 9

_I think that people have been misunderstanding Pepper and Kagome so I am just gonna explain their behaviors and explanations here._

 _People have been telling me how they think that Pepper is a bitch or that she's a lot more meaner than others portray her in their fics with Kagome/Tony daughter AU. But I feel like others are not seeing her point of view. Even though her and Tony are no longer together, Pepper will always love and care for our drunk genius. She doesn't trust Kagome or Kagome's mother because she doesn't want him to get hurt or wallow in guilt like she knows that he will over this._

 _Tony is her concern first and foremost and she won't allow anyone to hurt him; may that be emotionally/mentally or physically. I hope everyone understands her a bit more._

* * *

It was late that night when Kagome actually saw Ton—, her father again. She was laying on her back on the futuristic couch in the living room - the guest room was nice, expected considering where she is, but it just wasn't home - when the man stumbled up from his 'playroom'.

She almost laughed at how loud and obnoxious he was being; it reminded her of the grandfather of a certain monk she knew before she pushed that thought out of her head.

Kagome hadn't even noticed the man was close by until she felt her legs being pushed off the couch and another body throwing itself into the place her lower half was a moment ago. Her lips thinned out as she felt the first signs of anger welling up inside her; the urge to say something surging until she just blew air out of her nose and chose to sit up and ignore him.

The both of them were content to do so. It gave them a chance to 'sneak' - and she uses that word very loosely - glances at one another as if the other hadn't noticed the tense air between them.

Kagome could see the skin tone that she had gotten from him along with her face structure, her wide eyes, and even her nose that were all from him. Not even she could deny what he had given her.

She pulled her gaze from him as she closed her eyes and finally allowed herself to think about all of this.

If Kagome had to be honest? She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be back with her Mama's smiling face, Souta's loud whining, Granpa's praying and madness, and even Buyo with his mewing and warm nuzzles.

She was upset, angry, and lonely and all of those emotions on had been bundled into a little ball in her belly as she tried to keep herself under control. But she couldn't help it; she wanted to go back to the time before she realized her Papa wasn't her Papa. Before she realized she was just the illegitimate child. That child that her Papa was forced to care for if he wanted to be with Mama.

He probably hadn't even loved her, was just pretending to give a damn about her, she was sure tha—

Kagome felt a hand gently land on her own and only turned her a head to the side a little to look at the larger and tanner hand over her own. She blinked through her tears - when had she stared crying? - and looked to see the drunk man staring straight ahead, not even acknowledging his own actions.

She sniffled and brought her free hand to wipe her tears away. After a few moments of coughs, tear wiping, and nose wiping she lifted her head up and stared out of the large glass that showcased the glowing city below and around them.

The both of them once again sat in silence, but this time it was not as tense as it had been before.

She felt him squeeze her fist for a millisecond - it almost felt like it hadn't happened - and she felt a small smile stretch across her face.

* * *

 _"Mama?"_

 _"Yes, dear?"_

 _"What's Mr. Stark like?"_

 _A pause._

 _"He's a genius, but not so much where it matters. It may not seem like it at first and he may even be drunk when it happens, but the man will show he has a heart of gold. And though he may put on a strong front he will care for you once he finds out who you are."_

 _"Why do you say that?"_

 _"..."_

 _"Mama?"_

 _"He won't ever want to see you cry..._

 _.._

 _.._

 _.._

 _.._

 _it'll remind him of a past he no longer wants to think of."_


	10. Chapter 10

_happy thanksgiving everyone, i hope that everyone has had or will be having a wonderful time with the people they are most thankful for_

 _at this point, i don't make excuses for why i update like every other decade and i am not gonna even bring it up next time lol, i'm sure everyone knows the deal by now and i do not wanna repeat myself so yea_

 _anyway, have a nice day or night everyone !_

* * *

Her father didn't bring up the night before so she didn't either.

It did not even seemed like he remembered anyway as the man made way into the living room/kitchen area, grumbling about his hangover headache. He was more surprised to find her in the kitchen, making breakfast and working in the kitchen as if she lived there.

"... You like to cook, huh?" Kagome rolled her eyes as the man sat down in the rolling seat and laid down a plate consisting of eggs, bacon, and pancakes along with some coffee on the side.

"Just something that I've been good at." It was also her way of repaying the man for his.. help the night before, but that did not need to be said.

All her father did was hum as he dug into his food and drink without a second thought and she wrinkled her nose at his wolfish way of eating. Well, at the very least she was glad that she didn't get her table manners of all things from him. He was worse than Inuyasha.

As soon as she thought his name, she pushed it from her mind and went to washing the dishes and cleaning the mess she made.

"What are you doing?" She didn't even acknowledge him with a side glance as she answered, "Cleaning up my mess."

"That's what maids are for."

"I want it clean now."

It seemed that he decided to change the subject before an argument over cleaning - cleaning of all things - broke out and they were once again in another round of silence that wasn't quite tense, but not comfortable either.

Kagome could feel his eyes burning into the back of her neck; she tried to control the urge to scold him for it and almost went to do it until he interrupted her with another question, "Aren't you hungry?"

She lifted her head to look over her shoulder at him and raised her eyebrow, changing the subject?

Kagome only shrugged, "I ate earlier."

And by ate, she means that she just took bits and pieces from what she already cooked and fed herself along the way.

Everyone had their guilty pleasures.

"I see."

"Yep."

... Well, this morning was off to a great start already.


End file.
